01dragonslayer
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- Aug 25, 2016
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Have you ever stayed up all night studying for an exam or worked late hours to meet an early morning deadline? If yes, you have probably noticed how drained your entire body felt the following day due to the lack of energy stemming from getting little-to-no sleep. Sleep is an essential part of our lives that allows our bodies to rest, recharge, and be refreshed for the next day. Without enough sleep, our bodies and brains cannot function properly, which is why we can experience a "crash." Getting adequate sleep not only helps our bodies physically recover from exerting energy throughout the day, but it also helps refresh our cerebral and cognitive functions.
Why do we need sleep?
Sleep is an essential function that allows our bodies to get the rest it needs after working hard all day. A healthy amount of sleep is vital for neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change its activity in response to experiences over the course of our lives by reorganizing its structure and functions.
When we don’t get enough sleep, we are more likely to run into health risks such as worsening symptoms for depression, high blood pressure, migraines, and seizures. Immunity is also compromised, increasing the likelihood of infections and illnesses.
Studies show that restricting sleep to four hours per night for six days, followed by sleep for 12 hours per night for seven days, resulted in at least a 50% decrease in production of antibodies to the influenza vaccination in comparison with subjects who had regular, consistent sleep hours. Good quality sleep can bolster the T cells (a type of white blood cell that fights off infections) by enhancing the ability of these cells to adhere to and destroy viruses or other pathogens.
Additionally, sleep plays a role in metabolism where even one night of missed sleep can increase the risk of diabetes in an otherwise healthy person. There are many crucial connections between sleep and your health, which is why it is highly recommended to maintain a decent sleep schedule.
Sleep’s impact on academic performance
The human brain is not wired to absorb vast amounts of information on zero sleep and be expected to retain it for an exam. Although it is inevitable that students may sometimes need to cram the night before a test or final, especially with all of the other events going on during their college life, it is recommended to at least clock in a couple hours of sleep in order to avoid the full negative effects of staying up.
If we don’t get enough sleep, we are unable to process and retain the information we have learned during the day. This is especially important for college and high school students who are notorious for staying up all night doing homework or studying for exams. In fact, many college students consider “all-nighters” a part of the college experience and have pulled at least a few during their time in school. However, staying up all night to study can adversely affect both your health and academic performance. It’s important to study as much as you can, but not at the cost of your sleep.
According to researchers at Texas A&M University, all-nighters rely on short-term memory, and the information you learn or study during this time will likely not be retained at all for the exam. With each hour of sleep deprivation, your brain loses efficiency and experiences a sharp decrease in memory and cognitive abilities. It is recommended by the researchers to study in small increments well in advance of a test or final to have the best chances of achieving a good score. However, if you must cram the night before, they recommend studying as much as you can until bedtime and then waking up early in the morning to review the material again. That way, getting those extra hours of sleep will rejuvenate your mind and body, better preparing you for the exam.
How many hours of sleep should we get?
The amount of sleep we need depends on our age. The younger you are, the more sleep you will likely require. Adults generally only need seven or eight hours of good-quality sleep on a regular schedule. Here is a quick breakdown of sleep recommendations, according to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
Newborn (0-3 months): 14-17 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Infant (4-12 months): 12-16 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Toddler (1-2 years): 11-14 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Preschool (3-5 years): 10-13 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
School-aged (6-12 years): 9-12 hours per 24 hours
Teenager (13-18 years): 8-10 hours per 24 hours
Young Adult (19-25 years): 7-9 hours per night
Adult (26-64 years): 7-9 hours per night
Older Adult (65+ years): 7-8 hours per night
This is just a general, baseline recommendation. It is important to consider your own lifestyle to see how much sleep will be adequate for you. Some questions you can ask yourself are:
Do you have other health issues and/or are you high-risk for any disease?
Do you frequently exert a lot of energy (e.g. playing sports or training)?
Do you work a labor-intensive job?
Do your daily activities require high alertness (e.g. driving long hours, operating heavy machinery)?
Do you have a history of sleeping problems?
Do you work graveyard shifts? Has your internal clock adjusted properly?
Do you normally depend on caffeine to help you get through the day?
If you are experiencing serious issues with your sleep habits, it is important to first consult with a medical professional to get the help you need. Any underlying problems must be fixed in order to fully be able to rest, such as acknowledging and treating health conditions or conflicts with other factors in your life. That way, it will be much easier to plan and prioritize your sleep schedule.
Top 10 health benefits of good sleep
While we have established the importance of sleep and why we do it, you may be wondering what the specific benefits are. Sleep affects almost every tissue in our bodies, influencing growth and stress hormones, appetite, blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and much more. Besides leaving your body feeling restored and well-rested, getting a good night’s sleep can contribute to a myriad of health benefits.
Boosts your immunity
A full night’s sleep allows your immune cells to rest and better fight off common colds, the flu, and other illnesses that come your way. Additionally, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, proper sleep can help vaccines be more effective, which is especially crucial during the time of COVID-19. It is important that we continue to get sufficient sleep for optimal immune response and protection.
Strengthens your heart
Research shows that lack of sleep can increase the risk for heart disease. When you are sleeping throughout the night, your breathing rate, blood pressure, and heart rate rise and fall, a process that is important for cardiovascular health. Poor sleep quality is linked to high blood pressure and even heart attacks.
Improves your mood
When you get a good night’s rest, you are essentially setting yourself up to have a great day. Alternatively, studies show that even one night of subpar sleep can make you irritable, cranky, and negative the next day.
Promotes hydration
Getting a sufficient amount of healthy sleep plays an important role in keeping you hydrated.
Improves sex drive
Quality sleep contributes to sexual health by keeping testosterone levels high.
Increases productivity
Sleep has been linked to improved concentration as well as higher cognitive function.
Enhances memory
Sleep helps your brain process and consolidate your memories from that day.
Decreases the risk of car accidents
Sleep deprivation can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Prevents weight gain
Sleep affects hormones that control appetite.
Increases exercise performance
Sleep deprivation reduces muscle strength and physical power.
Why do we need sleep?
Sleep is an essential function that allows our bodies to get the rest it needs after working hard all day. A healthy amount of sleep is vital for neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change its activity in response to experiences over the course of our lives by reorganizing its structure and functions.
When we don’t get enough sleep, we are more likely to run into health risks such as worsening symptoms for depression, high blood pressure, migraines, and seizures. Immunity is also compromised, increasing the likelihood of infections and illnesses.
Studies show that restricting sleep to four hours per night for six days, followed by sleep for 12 hours per night for seven days, resulted in at least a 50% decrease in production of antibodies to the influenza vaccination in comparison with subjects who had regular, consistent sleep hours. Good quality sleep can bolster the T cells (a type of white blood cell that fights off infections) by enhancing the ability of these cells to adhere to and destroy viruses or other pathogens.
Additionally, sleep plays a role in metabolism where even one night of missed sleep can increase the risk of diabetes in an otherwise healthy person. There are many crucial connections between sleep and your health, which is why it is highly recommended to maintain a decent sleep schedule.
Sleep’s impact on academic performance
The human brain is not wired to absorb vast amounts of information on zero sleep and be expected to retain it for an exam. Although it is inevitable that students may sometimes need to cram the night before a test or final, especially with all of the other events going on during their college life, it is recommended to at least clock in a couple hours of sleep in order to avoid the full negative effects of staying up.
If we don’t get enough sleep, we are unable to process and retain the information we have learned during the day. This is especially important for college and high school students who are notorious for staying up all night doing homework or studying for exams. In fact, many college students consider “all-nighters” a part of the college experience and have pulled at least a few during their time in school. However, staying up all night to study can adversely affect both your health and academic performance. It’s important to study as much as you can, but not at the cost of your sleep.
According to researchers at Texas A&M University, all-nighters rely on short-term memory, and the information you learn or study during this time will likely not be retained at all for the exam. With each hour of sleep deprivation, your brain loses efficiency and experiences a sharp decrease in memory and cognitive abilities. It is recommended by the researchers to study in small increments well in advance of a test or final to have the best chances of achieving a good score. However, if you must cram the night before, they recommend studying as much as you can until bedtime and then waking up early in the morning to review the material again. That way, getting those extra hours of sleep will rejuvenate your mind and body, better preparing you for the exam.
How many hours of sleep should we get?
The amount of sleep we need depends on our age. The younger you are, the more sleep you will likely require. Adults generally only need seven or eight hours of good-quality sleep on a regular schedule. Here is a quick breakdown of sleep recommendations, according to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
Newborn (0-3 months): 14-17 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Infant (4-12 months): 12-16 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Toddler (1-2 years): 11-14 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Preschool (3-5 years): 10-13 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
School-aged (6-12 years): 9-12 hours per 24 hours
Teenager (13-18 years): 8-10 hours per 24 hours
Young Adult (19-25 years): 7-9 hours per night
Adult (26-64 years): 7-9 hours per night
Older Adult (65+ years): 7-8 hours per night
This is just a general, baseline recommendation. It is important to consider your own lifestyle to see how much sleep will be adequate for you. Some questions you can ask yourself are:
Do you have other health issues and/or are you high-risk for any disease?
Do you frequently exert a lot of energy (e.g. playing sports or training)?
Do you work a labor-intensive job?
Do your daily activities require high alertness (e.g. driving long hours, operating heavy machinery)?
Do you have a history of sleeping problems?
Do you work graveyard shifts? Has your internal clock adjusted properly?
Do you normally depend on caffeine to help you get through the day?
If you are experiencing serious issues with your sleep habits, it is important to first consult with a medical professional to get the help you need. Any underlying problems must be fixed in order to fully be able to rest, such as acknowledging and treating health conditions or conflicts with other factors in your life. That way, it will be much easier to plan and prioritize your sleep schedule.
Top 10 health benefits of good sleep
While we have established the importance of sleep and why we do it, you may be wondering what the specific benefits are. Sleep affects almost every tissue in our bodies, influencing growth and stress hormones, appetite, blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and much more. Besides leaving your body feeling restored and well-rested, getting a good night’s sleep can contribute to a myriad of health benefits.
Boosts your immunity
A full night’s sleep allows your immune cells to rest and better fight off common colds, the flu, and other illnesses that come your way. Additionally, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, proper sleep can help vaccines be more effective, which is especially crucial during the time of COVID-19. It is important that we continue to get sufficient sleep for optimal immune response and protection.
Strengthens your heart
Research shows that lack of sleep can increase the risk for heart disease. When you are sleeping throughout the night, your breathing rate, blood pressure, and heart rate rise and fall, a process that is important for cardiovascular health. Poor sleep quality is linked to high blood pressure and even heart attacks.
Improves your mood
When you get a good night’s rest, you are essentially setting yourself up to have a great day. Alternatively, studies show that even one night of subpar sleep can make you irritable, cranky, and negative the next day.
Promotes hydration
Getting a sufficient amount of healthy sleep plays an important role in keeping you hydrated.
Improves sex drive
Quality sleep contributes to sexual health by keeping testosterone levels high.
Increases productivity
Sleep has been linked to improved concentration as well as higher cognitive function.
Enhances memory
Sleep helps your brain process and consolidate your memories from that day.
Decreases the risk of car accidents
Sleep deprivation can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Prevents weight gain
Sleep affects hormones that control appetite.
Increases exercise performance
Sleep deprivation reduces muscle strength and physical power.
